a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to assessment of bone fracture risk and, in particular, to a method and system for quantitatively evaluating bone fracture risk in a living being that implement an improved index of bone fracture risk.
b. Background Art
Bone tissue breaks down and rebuilds within living beings. In humans, bone tissue initially forms faster than it is lost when a human is young. At a certain age, however, humans begin to lose bone tissue at a greater rate than it is replenished. As bone mass diminishes, bones have a greater risk of fracture. The risk is particularly acute in individuals who have osteopenia, or low bone mass, or suffer from the bone thinning disease osteoporosis.
Because bone fractures can negatively impact overall health, methods and systems have been developed to evaluate bone fracture risk with a particular emphasis on individuals having osteopenia or osteoporosis. Conventional methods and systems rely on bone mass and body mass index (BMI). The use of BMI, however, does not appropriately account for the nature of an individual's height, weight and bone mass.
The inventors herein have recognized a need for a method and system for quantitatively evaluating bone fracture risk in a living being that will overcome one or more of the above-identified deficiencies.